Ants are one of the most successful groups of insects in the animal kingdom. They are of particular interest because they are a social insect and form highly organized colonies or nests which sometimes consist of millions of individuals. Colonies of invasive ant species will sometimes work together and form super-colonies, spanning a very wide area of land. Ant colonies are sometimes described as superorganisms because they appear to operate as a single entity.

Ants have colonized almost every landmass on Earth. They can constitute up to 15% of the total animal biomass of a tropical rainforest; in the Amazon the combined weight of the ants is said to be four times larger than that of the tetrapods in the same area. As of 2006, there are 11,880 known ant species, most of which reside in hot climates.

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Giant Ant Farm

$ 25.00

Uncle Miltons Illuminated Ant Farm Gel Colony

$ 25.00

Ant Farm Refill Kit (includes sand, food and live ants)

$ 12.50

Ants - Vial of 25 -30

$ 6.00

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Aphids, also known as greenfly/blackfly or plant lice, are minute plant-feeding insects in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the homopterous division of the order Hemiptera.

About 4,000 species of aphids are known, classified in 10 families; of these, around 250 species are serious pests for agriculture and forestry as well as an annoyance for gardeners. They vary in size from 1-10 mm long.

Important natural enemies include the predatory ladybugs (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), hoverfly larvae (Diptera: Syrphidae), and lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), and entomopathogenic fungi like Lecanicillium lecanii and the Entomophthorales.

Aphids are distributed world-wide, but they are most common in temperate zones. It is possible for aphids to migrate great distances depending on the weather patterns (mainly passive dispersal riding on winds); for example, the lettuce aphid spreading from New Zealand to Tasmania. They have also been spread by humans transporting infested plant material.

The Damselfly (Suborder Zygoptera) is an insect in the Order Odonata. Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but the adults can be differentiated by the fact that the wings of most damselflies are held along the body when at rest. Damselflies are also usually smaller, and weaker fliers than dragonflies, and their eyes are separated.

Damselflies undergo incomplete metamorphosis. The female lays eggs in water, sometimes in underwater vegetation. Nymphs are carnivorous, feeding on daphnia, mosquito larvae, and other small aquatic organisms. After molting several times, the adult emerges and eats flies, mosquitoes, and other small insects.

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Damselfly Nymphs - Each

$ 2.00

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A dragonfly is any insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body.

Dragonflies typically eat mosquitoes, midges and other small insects like flies, bees, and butterflies. They are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands because their larvae, known as "nymphs", are aquatic.

Dragonflies do not bite or sting humans; in fact, they are valued as a predator that helps control the populations of harmful insects, such as mosquitoes.

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Dragonfly Nymphs - Each

$ 2.00

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The Mosquito is a member of the family Culicidae; these insects have a pair of scaled wings, a pair of halteres, a slender body, and long legs. The females of most mosquito species suck blood from other animals. Size varies but is rarely greater than 15 mm (0.6 inch). Mosquitoes weigh only about 2 to 2.5 mg (0.03 to 0.04 grain). They can fly at about 1.5 to 2.5 km/h (0.9 to 1.6 mph) and most species are nocturnal.

Mosquitoes are principally nectar feeders with only the females requiring a meal of blood. In contrast to this rule the Toxorhynchites never drinks blood. This family includes the largest of the extant mosquitoes (colloquially referred to as "mosquito eaters") and their larvae are predatory on the larvae of other mosquitoes.

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Mosquito Larvae & Pupa - Class 30

$ 8.00

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The bess beetles or bessbugs are a family Passalidae of beetles. Nearly all of the 500-odd species are tropical; species found in North America are notable for their size, ranging from 20-43 mm, for having a single "horn" on the head, and for a form of social behavior unusual among beetles.

Bodies elongate-cylindrical and black overall; ventral surfaces may be covered with yellow setae. The head is narrower than the thorax, with antennae consisting of 10 antennomeres with a three-segment club. The elytra are elongate with parallel sides, and heavily striated.

They are subsocial (brood caring) beetles living in groups in rotting logs. They care for their young by preparing food for them and helping the larvae construct the pupal case. Both adults and larvae must consume adult feces which have been further digested by microflora for a time; an arrangement that might be described as a sort of external rumen.

In addition, they are also able to produce fourteen acoustical signals, more than many vertebrates. Adults produce the sounds by rubbing the upper surface of the abdomen against the hind wings. The larvae produce the sounds by rubbing the third leg against a striated area on the coxa of the second leg.

Seasonal (please call for availability)

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Bess Beetles - Each

$ 3.50

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Witness the wonder of the butterfly life cycle with this amazing educational experience. The 2-foot tall Butterfly Pavilion “pops-up” easily. Hang it from a string or set it on a table-top. The see-through mesh and zippered entry allow easy access for care and feeding.

Please allow approximately 3 weeks for your larvae to develop. During extremely hot or cold weather, delivery of live larvae may be delayed. Available only in the Continental U.S. and Alaska. Judged “best overall” butterfly-raising kit by the Wall Street Journal, and winner of the 2004 Teachers’ Choice Award. Ages 4 & up.

For butterfly (sets of 5) orders over 20+ cups, all shipping to the same place, call for special pricing.

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Butterfly Pavilion

$ 14.25

Butterfly Kit - Class 5

$ 19.00

Butterfly Kit - Class 33

$ 45.00

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Coccinellidae is a family of beetles, known variously as ladybirds (Commonwealth English), ladybugs (North American English) or lady beetles (preferred by scientists).

The word "lady" in the name is thought to allude to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic faith. Coccinellids are found worldwide, with over 4,500 species described, more than 450 native to North America alone. Coccinellids are small insects, ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm (0.04 to 0.4 inches), and are usually yellow, orange, or red with small black spots on their carapace, with black legs, head and feelers. As the family name suggests, they are usually quite round in shape.

Because they are useful, colourful, and harmless to humans, coccinellids are typically considered cute even by people who hate most insects. Some people consider seeing them or having them land on one's body to be a sign of good luck to come, and that killing them presages bad luck.

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Ladybugs - Class 50

$ 9.00

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Centipedes (Class Chilopoda) are fast-moving venomous, predatory terrestrial arthropods that have long bodies and many jointed legs. Chiefly nocturnal, centipedes are found primarily in tropical climates but are also widely distributed in temperate zones. Some species are highly venomous with extremely toxic venom on their claws which can cause death in humans.

As in the closely-related millipedes, they are highly segmented (15 to 173 segments), but with only one pair of walking legs per segment. Centipedes are dorso-ventrally flattened, and are among the fastest and most agile of arthropod predators.

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Centipedes (12+) Each - Live

$ 2.40

Centipedes Each - Live

$ 2.75

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Crickets, family Gryllidae (also known as "true crickets"), are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets (order Orthoptera). They have somewhat flattened bodies and long antennae.

Crickets are known for their chirp (which only male crickets can do; male wings have ridges that act like a "comb and file" instrument). They chirp by rubbing their wings or legs over each other (called "stridulation"), and the song is species-specific. There are two types of cricket songs: a calling song and a courting song. The calling song attracts females and repels other males, and is fairly loud. The courting song is used when a female cricket is near, and is a very quiet song. Female crickets have a long needlelike egg-laying organ (ovipositor).

Crickets chirp at different rates depending both on their species and the temperature of their environment. Most species chirp at higher rates the higher the temperature is (approx. 60 chirps a minute at 13ºC in one common species; each species has its own rate). The relationship between temperature and the rate of chirping is known as Dolbear's Law.

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Crickets - Class 12

$ 4.80

Cricket - Class 30

$ 9.00

Cricket - Class 50

$ 15.00

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Darkling beetles are a family of beetles found worldwide. Estimates vary between 12,000 and about 15,000 species. Many of the beetles have black elytra. Darkling beetles eat both fresh and decaying vegetation. Major predators include birds, rodents, and lizards. The larval stages of several species are cultured as feeder insects for captive insectivores, and include the very commonly known mealworms and superworms, and the lesser-known mini mealworms.

Some species live in the dry Namib desert and have evolved modification that help them collect water from the fog that condenses on their elytra.

Raising darkling beetles from larvae through adulthood can be a rewarding biology project for lower school educators.

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Darkling Beetles - Class 8

$ 2.40

Darkling Beetles - Class 25

$ 7.50

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The Madagascar hissing cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa) is one of the largest species of cockroach, reaching 2-3 inches at maturity. They are originally from the island of Madagascar off the African coast. Also, they are wingless, an uncommon attribute in the cockroaches of the world; however, they are excellent climbers and can easily climb smooth glass.

It is a very popular pet because of its hissing sound, large size and interesting appearance. Their namesake "hissing cockroach" is due to their ability to force air through the breathing pores (spiracles) found on their abdomen. The Madagascar Hissing Cockroach is believed to be the only insect that can hiss in this manner, as most insects make a "hissing" sound by rubbing together various body parts. This hiss is used in two contexts: the disturbance hiss and the fighting hiss. All cockroaches from the fourth instar (fourth molting cycle) and older are capable of the disturbance hiss. Only males use the fighting hiss when challenged by other males. It is thought that females will not mate with males that cannot hiss.

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Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches (9-16) - Each

$ 5.00

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches (1-8) - Each

$ 5.85

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches - Class 16

$ 80.00

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The hatching period is in the Spring months, earlier in the warmer Southern states, and as late as June in the Northern United States. The eggs hatch out when the weather becomes warm and their insect prey becomes available.

Pictured to the right is a Praying mantis producing an egg case

A praying mantis, or praying mantid, is a large insect of the order Mantodea, named for their "prayer-like" stance. The word mantis derives from the Greek word Mantes for prophet or fortune teller; the plural is therefore mantes, with mantises also acceptable. There are approximately 2,300 species world-wide; most are tropical or subtropical, but several species live in temperate climates such as that of the northern United States, central Europe, and Siberia. Praying Mantids are also one of the few insects that can turn their heads. Some texts refer to the European mantis (Mantis religiosa) as the most common praying mantis in European countries. Ischnomantis gigas is the largest mantis with 17 cm length in the female and is found in the Sahel zone of Africa. The smallest mantis is Bolbe pygmaea, which is only 1cm long.

Seasonal (available January through June)

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Mantis Eggs - Each

$ 5.00

Mantis Eggs - 3/pk

$ 12.90

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Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle.

Mealworms are typically used as a food source for reptile and avian pets. They are also provided to wild birds in bird feeders, particularly during the nesting season when birds are raising their young and appreciate a ready food supply.

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Mealworms - Class 100

$ 7.00

Mealworms - Class 200

$ 13.20

Mealworms w/ Food - Class 200

$ 15.00

Mealworm Set - Larvae pupa & adults 20/set

$ 7.00

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Milkweed bugs are usually found in small groups on milkweed plants, often on the underside of the leaves.

Adults are 9/16 to 10/16 inch long, black, and colorfully marked with reddish-orange on the head, sides of the pronotum (part of the thorax), and the wing covers. They have a Y-shaped head marking and two wide crossing orange bands across the wings. They are common on milkweed plants.

Milkweed plants sometimes fill entire fields in good years, but usually are found along roadways. The plant produces a milky white sap when a leaf is removed. These plants are large (3-4 feet high) with sprays of small white flowers in the summer. In the fall, seed pods develop which are 4 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. When the seeds ripen the seed pods open up releasing the seeds which float on fluffy white parasols. Milkweed bugs can be found on seed pods piercing the wall of the pod to feed on seeds.

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Milkweed Bugs (Adults or Nymphs) - Each

$ 0.65

Milkweed Bug Food - Each

$ 3.00

Milkweed Bug Eggs - 50

$ 13.00

Milkweed Bug Eggs W/ Food - Mass

$ 16.00

Milkweed Bugs (Adults or Nymphs) - Class 30

$ 19.50

Milkweed Bugs (Assorted Stages) - Set

$ 20.00

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Millipedes or millepedes (Class Diplopoda, previously also known as Chilognatha) are very elongated arthropods with cylindrical bodies that have two pairs of legs for each one of their 20 to 100 or more body segments (except for the first segment behind the head which does not have any appendages at all, and the next few which only have one pair of legs). Each segment that has two pairs of legs is a result of two single segments fused together as one.

This class contains around 10,000 species. These animals are detritivores, slow and nonvenomous; unlike the somewhat similar and closely related centipedes (Class Chilopoda), which can be easily distinguished by their single pair of legs for each body segment. Most millipedes eat decaying leaves and other dead plant matter, moisturizing the food with secretions and then scraping it in with the jaws. However they can also be a minor garden pest, especially in Greenhouses where they can cause severe damage to emergent seedlings. Signs of millipede damage include the stripping of the outer layers of a young plant stem and irregular damage to leaves and plant apices.

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Millipedes (10+) - Each

$ 2.90

Millipedes - Each

$ 3.15

Millipedes - Class 8

$ 25.20

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The Silkworm (Bombyx mori, Latin: "silkworm of the mulberry tree") is the larva or caterpillar of a moth that is very important economically as the producer of silk. A silkworm's diet consists solely of mulberry leaves. It is native to northern China and Persia (current Iran).

Silkworms have a strong appetite, as do all lepidopteran larvae. They eat mulberry leaves day and night. Thus, they grow very fast. When the color of their heads turns darker, it means that it is time for them to moult. After they moult about four times, their bodies turn slightly yellow and their skin becomes tighter, which means they are going to enter an apparently resting state (the pupa or chrysalis), during which they transform themselves into moths. Before becoming a pupa, the silkworm encloses itself in a cocoon, for protection during the vulnerable, almost motionless pupal state. The silkworm is so called because it spins its cocoon from raw silk produced in its salivary glands.

Silkworm Larvae are no longer available.

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Silkworms (Egg Stage) - Class 25

$ 7.00

Silkworms (Egg Stage) - Class 50

$ 9.00

Silkworm Food - Class 25

$ 7.00

Silkworm Food - Class 50

$ 13.50

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Termites, also known as white ants, are a phylogenetic order of swarming insects that are best known because some species feed on dead wood and cause damage to the constructed environment. Around 2,750 species have been described so far.

Termites only superficially resemble ants; their "white ant" name is probably due to their similar size and social habits.

Termites have biting mouthparts and their soft bodies are small, rarely over 10 mm in length. They typically inhabit dark nests and tunnels, only venturing out when the winged alates emerge to leave their parent colony, when constructing shelter or, in the case of grass-eaters, when harvesting grass stems. The bodies of flying individuals are dark, while termites which remain in the nest are whitish with only their heads being lightly pigmented. The deciduous wings of termites are long and slender, in two pairs that are similarly sized and shaped.

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Termites - Class 12

$ 10.40

Termites - Class 30

$ 16.00

Termites - Class 60

$ 25.65

Termites - Class 90

$ 30.90

Termites - Class 120

$ 38.00

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Waxworms are the larvae of the wax moth. There are two related species, the lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella) and the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella). They are used extensively as food in the pet industry, mostly due to their high fat content, their ease of breeding, and their ability to survive for weeks at low temperatures.

They are medium white caterpillars with black tipped feet and small black heads. In the wild they live as nest parasites in bee colonies and eat cocoons, pollen, and shed skins of bees, and chew through beeswax, thus the name. When used in captivity they can go a long time without eating, particularly if kept refrigerated. Captive wax worms are generally raised on a mixture of cereal grain and honey. Beekeepers consider waxworms to be pests.

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Waxworm Food

$ 4.50

Waxworms (75-100) - Class 75

$ 12.50

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